The Asian Century of Dharma - Dhamma; Call for Universal Responsibility and Interdependent Sustainability

The Vivekananda International Foundation (VIF) in collaboration with Bodhigayavijalaya 980 Institute (BGVI) & Bharat Studies Centre, Mahachulalongkornrajyavidyalaya University (MCU), International Buddhist Confederation (IBC), India & Japan Foundation, Japan, held the fourth Global Hindu- Buddhist dialogue on Conflict Avoidance and Environmental Consciousness (Samvad IV); in Thailand (Bangkok, Ayudhya and Krabi) from 14-16 Feb 2025.

Sh. S Gurumurthy led the Indian delegation. Prominent Hindu and Buddhist spiritual leaders from India and other countries participated in the discussions. Representatives of Jain, Sikh, Islam and Christianity were also present. Sh. Arif Mohd Khan, Governor of Bihar and Sh. Kiran Rijiju, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs were nominated by the Prime Minister to represent the government at the plenary session of the dialogue. From the Thai side, Vice Minister Mr. Russ Jalichandra represented the Thai government at the plenary. Foreign Minister Mr. Maris Sangiampongsa briefly attended the session and co-chaired a panel discussion on the environment.

The event was very well organised and well attended. Foreign Minister Maris co-chaired a parallel session and attended the VIF dinner. Dr Supachai Veerapuchong, Secretary General, BGVI extended great help. He is a highly dynamic man. Thai Venerables and monks attended in great numbers. The meeting was held in the UNESCO convention hall, a prime place for international conferences. Ministers from Nepal, Bhutan, Cambodia, Laos, Sri Lanka, India (Kiran Rijiju, Mohd Arif Khan) addressed the gathering. Messages were read out from the Indian PM and the PM of Japan. A message from the supreme Patriarch of Thailand was also read out. Media presence was substantial. The embassy of India extended great support.

PM Modi in his message recalled his association with late Prime Minister Abe and explained the significance of Samvad. He said the values of Buddhism hold the potential of making the 21st century Asia’s century in just economic sense but also in political and spiritual dimensions.

Most speakers dwelt upon the relevance of Buddha’s teaching (karuna, dialogue, right action, right intent, understanding, mindfulness etc. for resolving conflict and saving the environment. Sh. Arif Mohd Khan, Governor of Bihar, highlighted the key Vedantic message of oneness in creation and the Buddhist belief that everything except the soul is impermanent. The distinguished speakers elaborated upon the key tenets of Dhamma and Dharma i.e. interdependence and interconnectedness, non-permanence, respect for diversity, reverence for nature, mindfulness, karuna, kindness etc. It was emphasised that these values compel us to work for the well-being of the entire human being and nature. They felt that Asia has a message for the world that diversity is the law of nature; and mutual respect. Many speakers highlighted the significance of mediation and mindfulness in promoting peace and bringing emotional stability. The approach of treating human as one race and working for well-being of nature can help avoid conflict and save the environment.

Explaining the background of Samvad, Sh. S Gurumurthy said that the initiative, taken jointly by Prime Minister Modi and former Prime Minister of Japan late Mr Abe, is aimed at providing an alternative narrative to the world, originating from the depths of Hinduism and Buddhism. The two overarching themes of the Samvad are conflict avoidance and environmental consciousness. Respect for diversity, non-violence and compassion are fundamental to both Hinduism and Buddhism. These values are the key to saving the world from conflict and the planet from destruction. The world needs a paradigm shift from conflict resolution to conflict avoidance through a philosophical dialogue. He pointed out that Dharma-Dhamma constitutes a philosophy that does not consider the views of others as wrong. This generates mutual respect and understanding and helps avoid conflicts. Dharma-Dhamma philosophy has inherent reverence for nature which promotes deep environmental consciousness. This is very different from the Western discourse which seeks a final victory on the Western liberal democracy and free markets economists.

A Religious Round Table (RRT) was held in which the exponents of different religions including Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism participated. They adopted the Krabi declaration titled “The Asian Century of Dharma-Dhamma: Call for Universal Responsibility and Interdependent Sustainability”. Recalling the Delhi - Bodh Gaya (2015), Yangon (2018) and Ulaanbaatar (2019) declarations, the Krabi declaration says that Samvad provides the “philosophical narrative for a paradigm shift in the global discourse, integrating Dharma and Dhamma seeking a lifestyle and attitudinal change necessary to avoid conflict and reinstate environmental consciousness”.

The India Study Centre of Mahachulalongkornrajyavidalaya University (MCU) hosted the Indian delegation on their premises in Ayodhya (near Bangkok) on 16 Feb 2025 for an in-depth discussion on the key themes of Samvad. In his welcome address the Most Ven. Professor Dr. Phra Dhamvajrabundit, Rector, MCU emphasised the need for Hindus and Buddhists to come together and lead the world in providing wisdom for meaningful and fulfilling living. The Vice Reactor Ven. Prof. Dr Surasak Paccantaseno, International Affairs, & Director, Bharat Studies Centre, MCU, emphasised that the conflict can be resolved through compassion, ethics and collaboration. Sh. Arif Mohd Khan emphasised the importance of truth, goodness, self-control, kindness and compassion. Sh. S Gurumurthy gave the background of Samvad conferences and their objectives.

Mr Supachai, Secretary General, BGVI organised the Samvad meeting in Krabi on 16 Feb 2025. This allowed the delegation to meet a range of scholars and academics to further deliberate on the Samvad theme. Sh. Satnam Singh, MP from India joined the discussions. Dr Bunchar Pongpanich and Pairot Singbun and his colleagues brought to the attention of the audience through a presentation and an exhibition the findings of archaeological excavations carried out in the Southern Thai peninsula where Krabi is located. The findings indicate that Suvarnabhumi (the ancient name of Thailand), was a trading and gold manufacturing hub two millennia ago. A key excavation was that of a stone ring from the 3rd to 1st century BCE figuring standing goddesses and auspicious animals. It was recovered at a site in Khao Sam Kaeo, Isthmus of Kra, Thailand. This is the only ring found outside South Asia. They have also found certain gold leaves with flower petals depicted on them. The type of stone objects found are similar in style to the late Maurayan period objects found at Piprahwa (India) where corporeal remains of Buddha were found during the 1971 excavation done by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). Millions of stone, glass and gold beads found in Southern Thailand bear resemblance to those found in South India. This establishes a clear link between India and the Southern Thailand Peninsula in ancient times. The scholars emphasised the need for carrying out detailed research on ancient trade links between India and Thailand. According the Thai scholars, Southern Thailand acted as a bridge between the Mediterranean, India and China during the Roman times.

Conclusion

The Global Hindu-Buddhist Samvad initiative has acquired a critical mass of spiritual leaders and scholars in highlighting the need for an alternative paradigm for the world, based on non-confrontational and tolerant philosophies of Hinduism and Buddhism. Samvad IV set the stage for further broadening the initiative to the larger section of the Asian Society.

The Thai government and religious and academic institutions extended full support to Samvad IV. The Indian government also nominated the governor of Bihar and a cabinet minister Sh Kiran Rijiju to the conferences. Prime Minister Modi has taken a consistent interest in these meetings.

The religious round table carried out under the aegis of Samvad is an important innovation as it involves spiritual masters in discussions of the problems of the contemporary world like conflict avoidance and environmental consciousness. The presence of senior political leaders and officials from many countries in the Samvad meetings indicates the relevance of these discussions. Several countries have indicated their desire to host the future Samvad meetings. The objectives of Samvad initiatives can be further realized if hereon Samvad meetings focus on specific issues in focused groups.

In the context of the negative role of social media in spreading disinformation, the participants in the Samvad meeting emphasised the need for distinguishing truth from falsehood. Both Hinduism and Buddhism underline the importance of seeking truth and distinguishing it from falsity. This is particularly relevant today in the context of the spread of disinformation, hate and intolerance on social media. The future conferences of Samvad could also deal with this theme. Technology and its impact on society can also be studied in the future meetings of Samvad.

The Samvad IV showed that the Samvad initiative has come-of-age. There was a consensus in the meetings that there is a need to create greater awareness about Dharma/Dhamma philosophy and how it can help deal with conflict avoidance and environmental consciousness.

(The paper is the author’s individual scholastic articulation. The author certifies that the article/paper is original in content, unpublished and it has not been submitted for publication/web upload elsewhere, and that the facts and figures quoted are duly referenced, as needed, and are believed to be correct). (The paper does not necessarily represent the organisational stance... More >>